The Western New York Flash should be well-prepared when the National Women’s Soccer League season kicks off April 14 because they’ll face defending NCAA champion and perennial power North Carolina in the final preseason tune-up at noon on Sunday, April 7 at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester and also play NCAA runner-up Penn State on March 23 at Sahlen’s Sports Park in Elma, near Buffalo. The Tar Heels are regarded as the most successful women’s soccer program in NCAA history. They beat Penn State 4-1 in last year’s title game and went 17-5-2. The Carolina-Flash match will be outdoors at Sahlen’s Stadium, but the March 23 exhibition and another March 30 against Ohio State will be on the indoor field at Sahlen’s Sports Park.

LANCERS WOULD PLAY TUESDAY AT HOME: The Rochester Lancers announced if they qualify for the playoffs their home game will be Tuesday at Blue Cross Arena. The franchise also set a new MISL attendance record, averaging an announced crowd of 6,000-plus fans per game.

Jeff DiVeronica has covered professional soccer and the Rhinos for the Democrat and Chronicle since the team's inception in 1996. "Devo's Direct Kicks" takes aim mostly at Rochester soccer, but will also highlight the USL, MLS and U.S. national team play. Devo, his nickname since college at St. John Fisher, also hosts two weekly radio shows each Saturday on WHTK-AM/FM (1280/107.3 or www.whtk.com). "Kick This!" (11 a.m.) features soccer talk, while the Canandaigua National Bank High School Sports Show (noon) covers Section V sports. E-mail Jeff at jdiveron@DemocratandChronicle.com.
Or follow him on Twitter: @RocDevo